The Rose in a Bush of Thorns
by starlight8901
Summary: Hotori Tadase,Tsukiyomi Ikuto,Souma Kukai,Fujisaki Nagihiko,and Sanjou Kairi; Five of the most popular students in Seiyo Academy. They were always chased by girls but secretly,they just wanted to meet a girl that was different. Then they met Amu.
1. The Rose Sprouts

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Star: Haza! Another Fanfic! This includes all the young males of SC! (Besides Gozen and evil step dad) And they all revolve around one girl. I don't own Shugo Chara, or the characters. But the story, summary, and plot are mine. Oh, and PLEASE GIVE WoM-sensei PROPER CREDIT, for she helped me edit this story. I think I need to be careful not to do so much, since I might be busy now and then…Anyway, enjoy!

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The Rose in a Bush of Thorns

**Chapter 1: The Rose Sprouts**

_The teacher walked into the classroom, carrying a pile of textbooks so high that he could barely watch where he was going_

"Good Morning everybody!" chirped the teacher in an enthusiastic mood. "I'm sorry I am late, but now we can start our lesson!"

The small class of boys responded to their teacher's merry mood with uninterested expressions. A student in the back of the room raised his hand, catching the attention of his joyful instructor.

"Sensei, do we really need to do our lessons today? Especially since it's so hot!" the boy complained. All of the others nodded their heads in agreement.

"He is right." Commented a boy in front of him, who was adjusting his glasses. "It is what you would call the dog days of summer; even though we opened the windows, it still did not give us relief from the temperature of 95 degrees."

"Now, now." Humbly pleaded the teacher while rubbing his head. "I know it is pretty hot, but that doesn't excuse why we should skip our lessons. Besides, you five need to keep a good reputation." the teacher winked at them cheekily, in which resulted for the students to grumble in annoyance. He ignored them, turning around to face the chalkboard to start writing on it and beginning the day's lesson.

_After School:_

"Look, it's them!" squealed a girl in delight, making others turn around to see what she was talking about. The minute they did, others also started to voice out their own amazement. What appeared in front of them were five handsome young men, elegantly walking down the hallway.

"Ah, they're looking as amazing as ever!" a girl sighed as she observed them in awe.

"Not to mention that they're so cute!" giggled another girl in merriment.

"If I could, I would marry them all!" exclaimed a third.

All five of the boys passed by the fanfare of girls, as if none of them were even there.

_In the Guardians Dormitory:_

"Alright, I'm officially tired of being chased around," sighs a brown haired boy, coming out the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist. "I don't think I can go on like this anymore."

"I agree. Those girls can be a little…overbearing." remarked another boy wryly. He adjusted his glasses before continuing to read his novel.

"Don't you think that the both of you could be a little more considerate of the girls?" questioned a blonde teenager, sheepishly smiling at his roommates.

"Yeah, after all, they are just girls; they can't help but be themselves." a long haired boy agreed while he was stitching a hole in his uniform. He then turns his attention to the last boy who was lounging on the sofa in front of him. "You seem very quiet about this."

All of the other boys directed their attention on the teen relaxing. Seeing that all eyes were directed on him, he just smirked; as if seeming amused by the conversation "It's just sad, that they act like this all the time. Though I think it would be nice, if there was one girl who acted different."

All of the others just silently nodded in agreement. Everyday, they were smothered by several fan-crazed female students. Even though they might be the most popular students in the school, couldn't they at least be treated like an equal? Was there was one girl that doesn't go crazy just by a person's looks and outer personality, but as a real person? Over the years, they started to lose hope. They soon began to keep a cold distance between them and the students of the Academy. No one knows much about these five students, except themselves. Many girls wanted to know more about them, but it would be futile. It was like an emotional wall just blocked them before they could get to know them any better. To them, they were like a bush of thorns.

But every thorn has a rose…

_The next day:_

The day started off peaceful. Robins were happily chirping on the branches of trees, letting the sunlight that was peering through the jade-colored leaves shine onto their feathers. The sun shone brightly in the big, blue sky. Tranquility filled the air. It was warm, but not steaming like yesterday. The serenity was then brutally broken by a person who was frantically dashing into the school. Students quickly moved themselves clear from her path, for they did not want to ram into her, especially since she was moving with such swiftness. She started to run down the halls, and headed straight towards the chairman's office. The door busted open. She halted in front of the chairman's desk to try and catch her breath.

"I'm sorry, am I late?" asked the girl, as soon as her breathing had reverted back to normal.

"No, as a matter of fact, you're early." a voice responded in slight amusement. The seat in the chairman's office then turned around, revealing a 30-year-old man with faded light brown hair. He stared at the girl with intense, violet eyes. He folded hands together, giving the tired child a warm smile.

"Thank you for letting me transfer here Uncle Amakawa." said the girl, giving a smile in response to the one being given to her.

"Anything for my little niece." remarks the Chairman.

The chairman's remark then turns the girl's smile into an irritated scowl. "Uncle, do not treat me as if I am a child!"

"Now there's no need to be testy…" chuckles Amakawa who was trying to ward off his niece's glare. "Anyways, did you find an open dorm yet?"

The pink-haired girl was dumbfounded by his question. She hesitated before answering him. "N-no."

The Chairman frowned at her with a troubled face. "You know that there aren't any dorms for you to stay in, right?" he asked her.

The girl said nothing. She just looked down, feeling disappointed.

The chairman sighed heavily "If you cannot find a dorm to stay in, then I suppose I'll have to transfer you out of the school."

"No, please don't!" exclaimed the child. She ran up to the chairman, and bowed her head. "Please, I'll take any dorm, any dorm available!"

The chairman looked at her somewhat surprised, and then started to smile. "Well…there is one dormitory you can stay in, but I think it goes against campus rules."

"Really, I'll take it!" she agreed. Her eyes were beaming with delight.

"Alright, but let me first warn you…"

_3 minutes later…_

"W-what?!" the girl shouted, a blush was creeping up on her face. "You've got to be kidding me, there's absolutely no way I can stay there, no way!" she crossed her arms.

The chairman smiled nervously at his niece "I-it's the only dorm available. Either you stay there, or go back to Osaka."

The girl turned her back to her uncle, still having her arms crossed. The room was quiet, and the chairman just stared at his niece, curious of what her response will be. Then, her shoulders sagged, admitting defeat. Finally, the girl turned around.

"F-fine" she finally grumbled out. "I'll stay there."

"Alright then!" Said the chairman gleefully. "I'll get you acquainted with your new roommates right away, but first you need to go to class. Afterwards, I shall send you to your new dorm."

The girl said nothing. She just quietly exited the chairman's office, still showing a bit of blush on her face. When the door finally shut, the chairman laid back in his chair, feeling exhausted.

"If her father found out where she was staying, he would've had a heart attack." He sighed. "I hope nothing goes wrong…"

Meanwhile, as the girl started towards her new class, she noticed that somebody grabbed her arm from behind.

"Geez Amu, you shouldn't pass by me without saying hello!" Said a familiar voice.

The girl turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw who was holding onto her arm.

"Y-yaya?! What are you doing here?"

The child looked at Amu, and started to pout.

"What, you didn't think that someone like me would never get into this school, did you?" she insinuated.

"N-no, that's not it at all!" Amu said, looking back at her friend nervously.

"Good!" said the child, grinning happily. "Because that's what I was starting to think about you!"

"What did you say?!" said Amu, sounding angry.

The bubbly girl just laughed back at her. "Anyways, Amu, which dorm are you going to stay in?" she asked with a big smile on her face. "Please tell me you're staying with us!"

Amu immediately froze by the question. She did not want to tell anyone about which dorm she was staying in, especially not her best friend. "Well, y-you see…" she began

Seeing Amu's expression, Yaya began to pout even more. She then started to hug her friend's arm even tighter "No! Don't tell me that you're going to another dorm, I want you to stay with me and the other girls!" she started to whine.

"Now, now Yaya…" Stuttered Amu nervously. "There were some complications, so I can't stay with you three."

This answer left the whining Yaya with dissatisfaction. "At least you'll come over to say hi, right?"

"Maybe, if I ever get the ti-" but Yaya interrupted her before she could finish.

"Alright, make sure you come over tomorrow!" giggled Yaya gleefully. Amu tried to explain more to the girl, but Yaya had already dashed off to class.

_She…didn't even give me time to explain… _thought Amu in vexation. Amu tried to ignore Yaya's childish manners, and began to concentrate on finding her classroom. She then started to wander around the building.

_I wonder who my classmates will be. _She thought with curiosity. Amu was so busy with her thoughts that she did not notice another person walking in her direction. She bumped into the person, and fell down to the floor with a thud.

"Ouch, that hurts" she muttered under her breath.

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you alright young lady?" asked the person she collided with.

Amu looked up to see who she bumped into. She studied him curiously, blinking when she realized that he was a teacher. He looked pretty young, perhaps in his late in his late 20's, if Amu was to make a guess. The teacher had short, carrot-colored hair, in which was tangled with uncombed curls and pulled back into a ponytail. He had medium-sized, circular glasses and a suit that consisted of tan pants and a jacket over white T-shirt with a green tie. Surprisingly, he was kinda good-looking… Realizing that she was staring at him, Amu began to apologize but then noticed that the teacher was studying her with recognition in his eyes.

"Oh, I know who you are!"

"You do?" Asked Amu, who was getting up off the floor.

"Yes, would you follow me please; I will take you to your classroom." The teacher started to walk down the hallway.

Amu quickly started to follow him.

_Who is this man, is he my teacher? _She thought in her head.

_Meanwhile During class:_

All of the five boys sat impatiently, waiting for their teacher to arrive.

"He's late again." comments the student wearing glasses. "He needs to be stricter about his schedule."

"No need to be so cold Kairi-kun." says the long-haired boy. His attention directed him to the door that was creaking open. "Ah that must be him now!"

"Good morning everyone!" Sang the teacher, enthusiastic as ever. "Today, I have an important announcement."

The students looked up to their teacher, seeming interested in what he had to say.

"We have a new student joining the class."

_A new student, _the boys all thought in wonder _Who would that be?_

The teacher could not help but smile at the curious faces in front of him. "I think you are really going to like this student. Now, please give a warm greeting to our new transfer student, Hinamori Amu."

Once the teacher finished talking the door reopened, and a young girl entered the classroom. She had short, strawberry-colored hair that scarcely touched her shoulders. Her eyes were the color of a golden honey, and her skin was a soft, light color of peach. She was the average height of any other girl. She was, without a doubt, an attractive person. All of the students looked back at her with astonishment. Only one thought was on their mind:

_A girl?!_

**End of chapter**

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Star: There's nothing better than adding a bit of shock to a story, don't you think? I always loved adding suspension; it really gets the reader going! Also, NOTE: GIVE PROPER CREDIT TO WoM-sensei (WingsofMorphius) for helping me adjust the vocabulary and descriptive reading. Please Read & Review, thank-you, and hope to update soon! (Thank-you WoM-sensei!)


	2. In The Bush of Thorns

**Star: Weekends, Finally! 5 reviews in one day! Yay! (I wish "Solar Amulet" will get this much reviews, humph -3-) Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! WoM-sensei did a wonderful job last chapter, but she has business to handle, so I need the readers to help in improving the story. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara, nor the characters within them. But the summary, title, and story are made by me. Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2: In the Bush of Thorns

_Everyone's eyes were observing the new female student in awe_

The classroom was silent, not one word spoken. Ten pairs of eyes, filled with bewilderment, were focusing on the strawberry-haired student in the classroom. Realizing that she was the center of attention, Amu started to become fidgety and uncomfortable.

"O-okay, Hinamori Amu," the teacher finally spoke, trying to ward off the tension in the classroom. "It is a pleasure to have you in our class. I am your teacher, Nikaidou Yuu."

_So, he is my teacher after all…_Amu voiced in her head.

"Alright then Hinamori-san" piped the teacher happily once more. "I will assign you your new seat"

He directed his finger to the new desk Amu would be sitting in. "It's over there"

Amu then spotted the seat her teacher was pointing out to. It was the first desk in the classroom, and was the closest desk to the teacher.

_Yes, I got a desk next to the window! _Amu thought gleefully. But Amu's thoughts were not expressed out loud. Instead, she quietly walked to her desk. Once seated, she then put her head on her chin, and looked out the window. Nikaidou had then directed all of his attention to his male classmates, and gave them a cheeky smile.

"Now, would you gentlemen kindly introduce yourselves to this young lady?" he teased. This comment resulted in death glares from every boy in the classroom. Seeing their dark expressions, Nikaidou irrationally decided to introduce them to Amu himself.

"Amu, I'd like you to meet your new classmates"

Amu turned around to face Nikaidou sensei.

"Hotori Tadase, Tsukiyomi Ikuto, Souma Kukai, Fujisaki Nagihiko, and Sanjou Kairi; from this day foward, these boys are now your new classmates," He cited in endorsement.

The boys did not say anything. None of them had their attention directed to Nikaidou, for they were mostly focused on the new student.

"Now, let's start our lesson" Nikaidou had taken out a piece of chalk, and began to write on the blackboard.

_After School:_

Amu was more than glad to get out of school that day. She sluggishly walked out of the classroom.

"I'm exhausted" she said to herself in anxiety. "I couldn't take the pressure. What's with those boys anyways? Why were they staring at me like that, as if I'm some kind of freak,"

While busy questioning herself about her peculiar classmates, Amu happens to see a crowd of students nearby.

"Huh? I wonder what's going on?" Amu asked in curiosity.

Amu walked over to the crowd of students. Most of them were girls; some girls were screaming with joy, while others gazed with awe at what was before them.

Amu soon came to understood what had gathered the fanatic like students. Before her were five handsome young men; each just as attractive as the last. They silently walked by the group of squealing girls, just as they did before.

_It's the boys from my class! What the?! _Amu shouted in her head. Just like the other entire bunch of students, Amu was surprised; yet dumbfounded at the same time. Suddenly, Amu felt someone's arms wrapped themselves around Amu's neck, very tightly.

"Guess who!" hollered a familiar voice.

Traumatized by the person's actions, Amu fell to the floor, trying to breathe for air. She turned around to see the orange-haired girl once again, who had a smile that was widely stretched across her face.

"Yaya, I told you not to sneak up on me like that!" shouted Amu, while still holding her neck.

Yaya looked at her with a blank face. "What are you talking about Amu?"

"N-never mind" muttered Amu. She was now trying to get up off the floor.

"Anyways," stated Yaya, "I just noticed that you were staring at those five boys over there" she pointed out to the five gorgeous boys walking passed the students, who were still giggling in delight.

Amu hesitated to answer, "O-of course not! Why would I be looking at those losers?"

Yaya looked at her friend with amazement. "That's so cool of you to say Amu," she paused, and then stated to smile slyly, "even though it's not true."

Amu glared at Yaya furiously. But just before she could say anything offensive, Yaya happened to continue back on to her question.

"Amu, you don't happen to know who those guys are, do you?" she asked.

Amu looked at Yaya, whose face had shown she was very anxious to know her answer.

"No, I don't"

Suddenly, Yaya bursted out laughing. "Amu, those are the most popular students in the whole school!"

Amu had the expression of a deer in headlights. She never knew that she was in the same classroom as the most distinguished students in all of Seiyo Academy. Worst of all, she was the only girl in there.

"I-is that so?" she stammered out nervously.

"You bet!" Yaya cheered in glee. "As a matter of fact, rumor has it that there was one girl that was able to transfer into their class"

Amu froze in fretfulness.

Yaya started to poke Amu's arm, "Hey Amu, do you happen to know who might have gotten into their class, I want to get their autograph!" she piped joyously.

Amu quickly came back to her conscious, and crossed her arms "Of course I don't know" she scoffed "even if I did, I wouldn't really care"

Yaya once again started to giggle in merriment. "That's what I thought you were going to say"

Amu glared back at her friend in frustration.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Yaya once again wrapped her arms around Amu's neck. "You have to come to our dorm tonight!"

Amu was baffleed by her request "Yaya! You know that I have to get settled in my dorm first!"

Yaya started to pout, but not for very long, for she had an idea in mind. "Amu I have an idea! Maybe I can meet your roomies, and persuade them into bringing you into our dorm!"

_Can she even do such a thing?_ Amu thought in disbelief.

Yaya then removed her arms from Amu's neck. She started to smile brightly "Yes, it's a perfect idea! I will meet you near the chairman's office this evening! See ya later!"

Yaya skipped away leaving Amu behind, exhausted.

_That Yaya will never change…_ she thought in exasperation.

_That Evening:_

Amu was walking down the hallway. She then happened to stop in front of the chairman's office. She looked at the door; it was made purely out of walnut wood. The door was neatly carved, giving it a smooth design. The handle almost looked as if it was made out of pure gold, but she knew that it was just a very expensive door knob. Amu stood in front of the chairman's door for a while. She then started to remember what he had said to her the other day; which resulted in Amu to sigh in displeasure.

_To have a room with them, what was I thinking?_

Amu slowly raised her hand to knock onto the door. All of a sudden, she started to her a girl's voice echoing across the hall, calling her name.

"Hey Amu, you got here before me" Yaya said, slightly out of breath "You must be really excited to meet your roomies!"

"Well," Amu hastened to add "I wouldn't say exactly excited"

Yaya quietly laughed to herself. "Well, are going or not?"

"First I have to talk to the chairman about it" Amu stated.

Yaya looked at Amu in disappointment, and started to whine "Geez, couldn't we just go ourselves?"

"No, we can't!" Amu declared to her pouting friend. "We have to notify him before we do anything like this"

"Fine," Yaya sighed in defeat.

Amu lightly knocked on the wooden door. The handle twisted, and the door slightly creaked open.

"May I help you?" asked the person behind the door.

"Yes, you may" Amu answered.

The chairman's door opened up, allowing both Yaya and Amu to enter. The chairman was now sitting at his desk. A sweet aroma of well-made tea and cookies filled the air. Yaya could not help but become lured into the sweets.

"Hey, Yaya, don't do that," demanded Amu "That's impolite!"

The chairman lightly chuckled at the both of them "It's alright; I wasn't going to be able to finish them all by myself." The chairman then directed his attention towards Amu. "So, you've come to settle down into your dorm, correct?"

Amu silently nodded.

The chairman looked back at her with his deep, violet eyes, "Are you sure?"

Amu hesitated to answer, but knew there were no other options.

"…Yes…" she answered quietly.

The chairman slowly got up from his chair, and started to walk toward the door. His expression was a lot softer then before. "Now then, shall we show you to your dorm, Amu?"

"Yes," she agreed. Amu looked back at Yaya, who was still stuffing her face "Yaya, quit fooling around, and let's go!"

Yaya stopped eating, and began following the chairman and Amu. While walking toward the dormitory, the chairman started to talk to Yaya.

"Miss Yuiki" the chairman started "Do you know who Amu's roommates are?"

Yaya took a while to answer, for she still had some cookies in her mouth.

"…No, I really don't" she replied. "Though I do wonder what type of girls she'll be moving in with"

The chairman looked at Yaya with sympathy, "Miss Yuiki, you know that the people Amu is moving in with are a _special_ group of people, right?"

Yaya looked at the chairman in bafflement. She had no idea what the chairman was talking about, but she sure was interested. "I don't know that either!" she started to look at Amu. "Amu, who are your roomies anyways?"

Amu stared back at her friend with a nervous smile, "…You'll see soon enough"

_Meanwhile at the Guardians Dormitory:_

It was as silent; just as it was during class. Tension was all around the boys, emitting a heavy atmosphere. Not one person talked; that is, before Souma Kukai walked out of the shower.

"What a day, I'm exhausted" he complained, and then plopped onto the sofa, "Too many things happened today"

Hotori Tadase looked at Kukai, and nervously laughed, "I guess you can say that"

"I disagree with the both of you" remarked Sanjou Kairi, who was at a desk, completing his school assignment. He stopped writing and turned around to face the two, "Nothing at all happened today that was out of the ordinary."

"You're wrong, Kairi," interjected Fujisaki Nagihiko,"I remember that we had a new student today"

He turned around to see that the teenager, known as Tsukiyomi Ikuto, was no where to be found. "...Though, I do wonder where Ikuto went"

"He must've went out," suggested Kukai, "You know how he is"

The boys' attention was then directed by the door; someone was knocking. Kukai went over to open the door. In front of him was the chairman, giving a warm smile to Kukai.

"Good Evening, Souma-kun" greeted the chairman.

Kukai goofily smiled back at him "Well, what do you know, isn't it our dear chairman"

"Good Evening, Chairman" greeted Nagihiko and Tadase.

"Yes, good evening" stated Kairi, who resumed to his task.

"Good evening to you all" the chairman soon noticed that one person was missing "So, Ikuto is out again, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I suppose so" agreed Tadase.

The chairman chuckled "Well, that's too bad, since I have something important to tell you all"

All of the attention was focused on the Chairman. It was very rare for him to come to their door, and tell them something that was crucial. All four of the boys looked back at him in wonderment.

"I'd like for you to meet your new roommate…"

The Chairman stepped into the room, allowing a strawberry-haired girl to enter. All of the boys stood up, and looked at her, dumbfounded. They all shouted at once;

"Hinamori Amu?!"

**End of chapter**

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**Star: Yes, it was Amu. She is the girl who is not only in the class, but is also inside a boy's dormitory. This ought to be very funny and interesting at the same time…I'm already starting to laugh. :P -holding in giggles- Anyways, the next chapter might be late, for special reasons. Please Read & Review, thank-you! (But I do wonder where Ikuto is…)**


	3. A Thorn's Wrath

**Star: Ah, I'm so happy that Halloween came and gone. It was kinda boring for me though. This is my longest chapter yet! Please review for any improvements on this story! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara, nor the characters. But the story, plot and summary in the first chapter are mine.**

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**Chapter 3: A Thorn's Wrath **

_She looked at them, and they looked at her_

The room was quiet. A sudden chill filled the air. Expressions of bemusement were placed on the face of every boy in the room.

"A-Amakawa, w-what is a girl doing in here?" the blonde boy stuttered to ask.

The chairman did not say anything; he just looked at him with a nervous smile.

"A-are y-you serious about l-letting Amu st-stay here?" Yaya managed to stammer out. A blush started to make its way across her face.

The chairman let out a sigh "Yes, I am serious" he answered, "This was the only dorm that had any vacancy."

Yaya turned back to Amu, her face was now a rose red, "Hey, Amu, are you okay with this?"

Amu did not saying anything; her body was completely frozen, with a face as pale as snow.

"Well," said the chairman "I should be getting back to my office. Yaya, would you like to stay with Amu for a little while? I really would like for them to get to know her better, especially since you are her friend, I believe she will feel more relaxed."

"Y-yes, chairman!" agreed Yaya with an edgy smile.

The chairman then walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Yaya slowly turned to the boys, who were still eyeing both her and Amu.

_Keep it together Yaya! _Yaya shouted in her head _After all, it's Amu who's living in here right?_

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrapped themselves around both of the girls.

"Well, it's nice to meet the both of you!" remarked the boy, whose arms were around the girls' waist "I'm Souma Kukai"

_He sure is friendly, _Amu thought with a small smile. She then looked down, seeing that he was only wearing a towel. Amu could not help but hide her face, hoping that no one had seen that it was now a crimson red. She then quickly removed herself from Kukai's arm, and looked at him agitated.

"Hey, Kukai, could you at least put on some clothes?" she remarked while crossing her arms.

The boy just laughed back at her "Sorry, sorry" he said while rubbing the back of his head "I just came out of the shower"

"It's alright" she said, still having her arms crossed "Just go put some on"

"This female sure is demanding" remarked a boy in glasses.

Amu turned around at him with an irritated expression "What did you just say?"

"Hey, Amu, calm down" stated Yaya, who was still in Kukai's arm. Kukai soon realized this, and freed Yaya from his grasp.

"She's right" agreed Kukai, "Don't pay any mind to him, that's Sanjou Kairi"

"It's a pleasure to meet you" greeted Kairi while perking up his glasses.

Amu looked at him with suspicion _He might be greeting me friendly, but I sense a bad vibe coming from him._

Amu suddenly felt a hand lightly touch her shoulder. She quickly turned around to see who.

"It's nice to meet you, Hinamori Amu" greeted the young man "I am Hotori Tadase"

"N-nice to meet you too, Tadase" Amu greeted back.

"I hope we are able to become close friends" he said with a warm smile.

Amu looked back at him, trying to fight off the red that still stained her face _Why does he have to be so cute when he smiles? _She thought in her head.

"It is also nice to meet you, Amu" greeted a long-haired boy. "I am Fujisaki Nagihiko"

"Nice to meet you as well" greeted back Amu,

He gently took hold of Amu's hand "Come, let me show you to your room"

But before she had a chance to answer him, Yaya grabbed Amu's arm, nearly making her fall "Hold on Amu, I need to talk to you!"

Amu looked back at her friend, seeming provoked.

Yaya noticed her expression, and just looked back at her with a goofy smile "Don't worry, it will be quick!"

That was when Yaya had dragged Amu out of the room. Once the door shut behind them, all of the boys sighed in exhaustion.

"These girls sure are troublesome" commented Kairi. The others silently nodded in agreement.

While outside the room, Amu began to give Yaya a grim expression.

"Yaya, what's with you? You've been acting strange lately."

"Of course I'm acting strange!" snapped Yaya, while frantically waving her arms back and forth, "Anyone would act nervous at a time like this; how could you hide this from me?"

"There's no way I could tell you about this! What if you told somebody?"

Yaya did not say anything. She turned around and crossed her arms, and began to pout "To keep a secret like this from me," she then paused; that is when she turned around to face Amu, and gazed at her with eyes of suspicion, "You must've wanted them for yourself."

"Try to take this seriously!" Amu hollered.

Yaya looked back at her, and began to smile tensely "Sorry Amu"

Amu let out a huge sigh, with a tired look on her face "I'm exhausted, I need to go to bed"

"Y-yeah, I'm kinda tired too" agreed Yaya. She started to walk down the hallway "See you later, Amu"

Amu waved back at her, watching her fade into the distance. She could not help but have the feeling that Yaya was hiding something, for it seemed that she appeared a bit more nervous than she says she was.

_Really, just what is on her mind?_

Once Yaya had disappeared from view, Amu made her way back into the dorm.

"Ah, there you are, Amu" said Tadase "Shall I take you to your room?"

"Yes, please" pleaded Amu

Nagihiko could not help but look at Amu in a worried way.

"Are you all right Amu? You seem pretty tense"

"No, I'm just fine" she implied "I just feel a bit tired"

Nagihiko just giggled back at her, "That's good to hear, I'm sort of glad you're alright"

Amu smiled back at him. _I guess staying here won't be so bad after all_

_The next day in class:_

Everyone was agitated that day, for the instructor was once again, tardy. Kukai was soon beginning to become impatient.

"Why does he always have to be so late?" he groaned, while sulking in his chair "It's torture to sit here with nothing to do, I might as well skip class"

"Don't be so foolish" remarked Kairi, who was sitting in his desk, patiently waiting for the teacher to arrive. "Skipping class is against the rules, and has dire consequences"

Kukai had then shot a dirty look at Kairi "Don't be so uptight" he pointed out "You know you don't like for him to be late as much as I do"

"That is true" stated Kairi, who was now pushing up his glasses, staring at Kukai "But I don't react like the way you do"

Kukai was now officially aggravated. But before he could say anymore to Kairi, his attention was directed towards the door, where a pink-haired girl had made her way in. Everyone was watching her as she took her seat, yet these faces showed expressions of disdain. Soon realizing that she was being glared at intensively, Amu started to feel squirmy once more.

_Why are they looking at me like that?_ Thought Amu in her head _I feel a lot more tension today than before._

Suddenly, the door busted open, nearly making Amu jump up out of her seat. The instructor had then entered the classroom, with a wide smile stretched across his face.

"Good morning, everyone!" chirped the teacher at his students "Isn't the weather beautiful today?"

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Nikaidou soon realized that the boys were a bit more gloomier than usual.

"Is something the matter? Everyone seems a bit unhappy today"

_It looks to me that they always act this way _Amu voiced in her head. _Still…I do wonder what's wrong…_

Amu sat quietly at her desk, looking at the sky. Two robins in a tree were chirping a joyous melody that was somehow soothing to her.

…_But somehow, I think I already know why they're acting this way._

_After Class:_

The day was over. Amu was heading back to the dorm, when she felt a dark presence behind her. Amu turned with caution to see what was making her feel edgy. Five girls were standing before her. Each of them stared at Amu, making her feel just as she was in the classroom.

"C-can I help you?" asked Amu edgily.

One of the girls, all of a sudden, pointed their finger right in front of Amu's face.

"Hinamori Amu, correct?" the girl asked with a serious tone.

"Y-yes, I am" Amu hastened to say "Why?"

"Stay away from them!" the girl suddenly hollered. The others echoed her statement behind her.

Amu was now puzzled. She had absolutely no idea what the girl was telling her.

"What? I have no idea what you are talking about"

"Don't play dumb with us, Hinamori Amu!" she shouted once more "I'm telling you to stay away from them; the five princes of Seiyo!"

Amu was now completely bewildered. "Who?"

"You heard me, I mean the five boys that are in you're class!"

Amu's eyes widened; she could not believe what was coming out of the girl's mouth.

"You mean those five boys?!" Amu exclaimed.

"Yes, I do" the red-headed girl stated "we are part of their fan club and right now, we are very infuriated by you!"

"W-why?" Amu asked "What did I ever do to you?"

"You are trying to get close to them aren't you?!" she implied. "We've noticed that you are in the same classroom as them; do you know how many girls would kill just to have that opportunity?"

_How could they have known?!_ She shouted in her head.

"N-no" stuttered Amu "I don't"

The red-headed girl just scoffed at her, seeming to get even angrier by the minute.

"Don't give me that innocent look, I'm on to you!" she said, while pointing in Amu's face once more, "Hinamori Amu: We will surely not lose to the likes of you!" The girl gave one last dirty shot, and then stomped away, having the others follow behind.

Amu's head was now spinning. _What's wrong with those girls?! Since when was I trying got get close to those boys?_ she paused,_ ...As a matter of fact, they don't seem to like me that much anymore._

Since she was now consumed by her own thought's, Amu did not notice someone was shouting her name. Amu finally became conscious of who was calling her, for that person had taken hold of her arm. Amu then immediately recognized who it was.

"Yaya?!"

"Hey, Amu!" Yaya whil grinning brightly, "How are you today?"

"I'm feeling terrible" Amu replied wearily, "It's just the end of school, and I'm already dealing with drama."

"Yeah, I happen to notice that the president of the Seiyo fan club just walked up to you just now" said Yaya, who was holding back a giggle, "And boy, was she angry!"

"Yeah, I noticed" mumbled Amu under her breath, "Besides, what did I ever do?"

Yaya looked at Amu as if she was crazy, "Amu, you're the only girl that takes the same class as the most popular boys in the whole school; I can see why she is mad"

Amu looked back at Yaya with a nervous smile "Oh, I understand now" she then paused.

_Wait, how does Yaya know about it too? I thought she only knew I was staying with them in the dorm._

Seeing Amu space out, Yaya started to giggle even more "It's a good thing that no one knows that you live with them too, or else you would've been dead by now"

Amu's sheepish smile soon faded into a scowl "Yaya, that's not funny at all!"

Yaya began to burst out laughing while Amu stood there, feeling a bit mortified.

"Speaking of dorms," said Yaya, who started to wipe away her tears of laughter, "I need to talk to you"

Amu looked a Yaya, alarmed at her serious tone "What is it?"

Yaya's smile soon faded, revealing more of a concerned expression. She clenched Amu's arm a little tighter "We got a problem"

"What kind of problem?"

"Well, you see…" Yaya's voice then trailed off. She looked down at the ground, and then looked up to face Amu. "Do you remember when I told you about visiting us when you get the chance?"

Amu looked at Yaya with a worried face, "Y-yea, I do."

Realizing Amu was now also concerned, Yaya released her grasp of Amu's arm, and smiled back at her weakly.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Yaya said, nervously laughing. "Anyway, you still need to come over to our dorm and visit us; since you did, after all, make that promise."

Amu could not help but stare at Yaya in annoyance. "I'll keep that in mind" she grunted, while balling up her fists.

Yaya soon started to skip away, leaving her friend behind once again. Amu looked back at her until she disappeared from view. Her expression of irritancy soon started to look somewhat bothered.

_Yaya, what are you hiding from me?_

Amu's thoughts were then abruptly interrupted by the screams of female students. It did not take her long to become conscious of who they were squealing about.

_Will those girls ever change? _She thought in exasperation.

While observing the boys who were pasing by, Amu noticed that there were more boys than before; there was one that she had not seen the other day.

_Hey, who's that? I've never seen him before._

Amu pushed her way passed the crowed to try to get a better view of the mysterious person. She reached out to him, and grabbed the back of his uniform. The boy stopped, but did not turn around to face her. All of the students, including the boys, looked at Amu in wonderment.

"Hey," she started, feeling a tad nervous that she was now the center of attention. "Have I seen you before?"

There was a still silence, no one spoke a word; no one made a sound. They were all waiting for the boy to respond to Amu. Suddenly, he slapped her hand away from him. Expressions of astonishment were placed on the faces of everyone, including Amu.

"No, you don't know me" he softly answered. He turned around and looked down at Amu. Out of the blue, the boy wrapped his arms around Amu's waist, and whispered in her ear "But…I know you"

_Huh?! _Amu's face was now a stained red. Her heart now felt as if it was trying to burst out of her chest.

Soon, the boy slowly released his grasp of Amu's waist and started to walk away, leaving a small smirk of amusement on his face.

"What...was that all about?" Amu asked herself.

Suddenly, Amu felt a strong aura behind her; similar to the girls earlier, but stronger. Her body immediately froze up, for she knew what she did wrong.

"Hinamori Amu…what was that just now?" asked a girl behind her, sounding angry.

"Well, that was umm" Amu stammered.

"What did Ikuto whisper in your ear?" asked another girl as she walked up closer to Amu, who was trying to back away.

"Uh, nothing" she hastened to say, "Please don't take it the wrong wa-"

Amu did not get the time to finish, for the aura of jealousy was too strong for her to bear. Soon Amu, instinctively, began to run; with the girls pursuing after her.

_That very same night:_

It was a quiet night. The moonlight shone onto the leaves, giving them a pale glow. Branches of trees rustled in the gentle wind that blew. It was, without a doubt, a tranquil night. Amu had her back towards the wall, out of breath.

"Geez, what's with those girls?" she said to herself, panting. "And what was wrong with that boy anyway? Why did he hug me?"

Amu recalled that very same moment of him hugging her. Just thinking about it made her cheeks red.

_Wait, why am I thinking about him? I hope that I never see him again, that pervert! _She thought in annoyance.

Amu let out a heavy sigh, and started to walk down the hallway. She stopped by a door. It had the words "Girl's Dormitory" written on it. Amu opened the door, and quietly entered the room. Before her were four girls, different from the ones before. The minute Amu walked in, one of them shot up, and charged towards her, giving Amu a big hug. The girl had orange-like hair with two large red ribbons, making two short pig tails on each side of her head. She was wearing a white turtleneck with a pink vest over it, and had on dark jeans. She looked up at the surprised Amu, with a wide grin stretched across her face.

"So, you did come after all, didn't you Amu?" she chirped merrily.

"If I didn't, then you would've bothered me all day about it." commented Amu.

Yaya giggled sheepishly at Amu "Yeah that is true,"

Another girl walked up to Amu, and gave her a small smile. "Nice to see you again, Amu"

The girl was shorter than Yaya. Her wavy, aureate hair just about touched the floor. She was wearing a short, pink dress with light blue pants.

Amu smiled back at her "Nice to see you too, Rima"

"It's a good thing you came, Rima and Utau were giving me a headache" Yaya nagged.

"Don't be silly" remarked another blonde girl, who was sitting on the sofa. "You know it's you who causes all of the trouble"

Yaya soon became irritated, and started to whine, "I am not a troublemaker, take that back Utau!"

Utau just sat back, ignoring everything Yaya was saying. She had a dark themed outfit; a black dress with long, black stockings. Her hair was blonde, and was put into two ponytails that stretched down to her waist, similar to the tips of a butterfly's wings. Her violet eyes stared at Amu coldly.

"It's about time you came here, Amu"

Amu looked back at Utau irritated _This heavy atmosphere; _she thought in vexation,_ It's just like Kairi's._

"I see that you never changed, Utau" Amu remarked back.

Utau looked back at Amu suspiciously, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Now, now" interjected another girl, "Let's all calm down"

Amu smiled at the longed-haired girl, "I guess you're right Nadeshiko" she agreed.

Nadeshiko was just about the same height as Amu. She had sleek, dark violet hair that was neatly kept in a long ponytail. She was wearing a long, light yellow dress, along with a demin jacket. Her mahogany eyes beamed brilliantly. Nadeshiko smiled back at Amu.

"Utau, you too, need to stop" Nadeshiko stated.

"Whatever" remarked Utau while turning her head away from Amu. She crossed her arms, "It's not like I wanted to start a quarrel"

_Her character really does never change _Amu voiced in her head.

"Anyways," interrupted Yaya, who was still clinging onto Amu's arm "We have so much to talk to Amu about"

"You do?" asked Amu, seeming surprised at the question.

"We do?" asked all three girls, just as surprised as Amu was.

"Of course!" chirped Yaya. "We have to ask her about her roommates"

Amu's body instantly froze in fretfulness; she could not believe what Yaya had just said.

"I agree" said Utau, walking up to the pale-faced Amu. "Who are your roommates anyway?"

Amu could not think of any way to answer Utau.

_This is not good thought_ Amu voiced in her head, _…It's bad enough for Yaya to know, but if the truth was revealed to where I was really staying, then I might as well dig my own grave!_

"Amu, answer my question." Utau demanded.

"…I'm staying with….the chairman!" Amu answered without hesitation.

Everyone gazed at Amu in bafflement, "The chairman?"

"Yes" replied Amu, "I'm staying with him"

The room stayed quiet for a while. The only noise made was the sound of the branches of trees brushing against the window.

"…Well, I guess its fine with me" shrugged Utau. All of the others agreed.

Yaya began to eye Amu with suspicion. She then let go of Amu's arm, and started to whisper in her ear.

"Hey, Amu, aren't you going to tell them?"

"Of course not," Amu whispered back, "I can't tell them…yet"

The night quickly passed by. Everyone was so happy to finally meet each other again. It was almost like a family reunion. Amu wished that it had lasted forever.

_30 minutes later:_

"Amu, please don't go!" pleaded Yaya, who started to take hold of Amu's arm once again.

"Hey, Yaya, I can't stay with you today, I have to get back to my dorm" replied Amu, trying to free herself from Yaya's grasp.

Yaya then began to pout. "…Alright" she finally agreed. "Just make sure you are careful with your roommates."

"I will," Amu agreed with a smile "Don't worry, I'll be fine"

Amu soon started to walk down the hallway, waving Yaya goodbye. Yaya waved back at her, giving her a little smile. Once Yaya shut the door, she turned around to see her roommates, glaring at her with intensity. Yaya looked at them, seeming confused.

"…Is something wrong?" Yaya asked in wonderment.

Nadeshiko stepped up to Yaya, showing a concerned expression "…Yaya, who is Amu really staying with?"

Yaya was speechless. She did not know what to say at the moment, for her mind went completely blank.

"Wha…what are you talking about," asked Yaya nervously, "Amu's staying with the chairman"

"No she's not," stated Rima with a serious look on her face, "You're lying"

"N-no I'm not!" Yaya stammered out, "She really is staying with the chairman"

"…Yaya," Utau started as she gazed at Yaya with her deep, violet eyes, "Tell us the truth"

Yaya's nervous smile soon fades into a more troubled frown. She knew that she couldn't hide the secret any longer.

…_I can't hide this from them, they're my best friends.__ What should I do?_

_Meanwhile:_

Amu was quietly walking down the hallway.

_I'm happy that I can see those girls again _she thought, smiling to herself,_ I wish I could have stayed there instead of with those boys._

Suddenly, the image of the boy who hugged her came into Amu's mind, making her cheeks as red as a rose.

_Wait, why am I thinking of him all of a sudden?! _She said to herself, while attempting to shake the disturbing image out of her head_ I just hope that that will be the last time I ever see him!_

Amu stopped right in front of the boys' dorm, and reached out her hand to open the door. She pushed the door open. As soon as she entered the room, Amu was in total shock; Her eyes widened, her face as pale as a ghost, and her body immediately froze. What stood before her nearly made her fall to the ground.

**End of chapter**

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Star: Ooooo! So mysterious! I wonder what made her react like that! Just so you know, there are no charas in this story, but I'm sure you'll find out soon enough who it was. And I wonder what Yaya will do…what if she tells the secret!?! –gasps-. Please Read and Review, Thank you~ :D


	4. Rumor's Weed

_Seiya/Star: Chapter 4! I'm so sorry for the over-two-week-no-update. I hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Though I love the chapter title so much; it really fits the situation here. Plus, please notice me about any mistakes or improvements on this story. Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Shugo Chara, nor any of Peach-pit's characters. But the story, plot, and summary are rightfully mine._

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**Chapter 4: Rumor's Weed**

_He never took his eyes off of her, not even for a single second_

The both of them stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Amu tried to speak, but her throat was as dry as sand. Her legs were like rubber, yet she tried to stay strong. Amu quickly snapped out of her daze, and looked back at the boy with a firm face.

"You…just what are you doing here?" she asked the teen, crossing her arms in irritancy.

"I live here," he replied, with a cheeky smile. Ikuto got up from the sofa, and leisurely made his way across the room.

Amu tried to step back as the boy was coming closer to her face, but her body did not respond. It was not long until Ikuto was close enough for his nose to almost touch Amu's.

"Uh, um.." Amu stuttered, waiting for her body to respond; but it still wouldn't move.

"But what I want to know is, what are you doing here?" Ikuto asked the stunned girl.

Amu, who was finally able to release herself from the self-induced trance, Amu swiftly moved away from the blue-haired boy. She crossed her arms once more.

"What do you think?' she remarked dryly, avoiding any eye contact, for she did not want for him to see her rose-red face, "I live here too."

"Is that so?" Ikuto asked, with a tone of amusement. "I ever knew that girls were able to stay in the boys' dorms."

"I had no choice to" she scoffed, finally having the courage to face the mischievous boy, "It's not like I ever wanted to come here in the first place."

Ikuto looked back at Amu with sneer. "You sure are stubborn"

Amu scowled at the defiant teen "What did you say?" she asked with an angry tone.

"You get so angry so easily, just like a kid," he chuckled as he was leaving the room.

Amu was now furious, but tried her best to calm herself.

_Just what's up with this guy anyway, _She thought in aggravation, _Isn't this harassment?_

_Next Day:_

The afternoon was bright and sunny. There were sounds of laughter and giggles in the air. Everyone was surprisingly happier than usual; all except for Amu, who couldn't get a wink of sleep last night.

_I'm exhausted _Amu thought to herself with a sigh _Doing work here was harder than I thought_

Amu looked all around, soon noticing that the students were acting somewhat different today.

"Everyone seems more lively than usual," she said to herself in wonderment, "I wonder what's going on?"

Out of the blue, Amu was grabbed by the arm and was forcefully dragged out behind a tree. Amu was surprised to see a blonde figure standing before her.

"U…Utau?!" Amu asked looking back at the girl, stunned "What are you doing here?"

"Be quiet, will you?' Utau said harshly. "I need to talk to you."

"Me? Why would you want to talk to me?"

"It looks as if someone knows that a girl is staying in the boy's dorm." Utau replied.

"They know what?!" Amu hollered, making Utau hush her once more, "How do they know that?"

"I don't know" replied Utau "You're just lucky that no one suspects that it's you"

"…We'll, Thanks for telling me Utau" Amu said with a smile. Utau just turned her back and scoffed.

"Don't get the wrong idea Amu, it's not like I wanted to help you anyways," Utau replied, feeling a hint of red on her cheeks "It's just that it would be troublesome if we got caught up into your mess." Utau started to walk away, leaving Amu behind.

Amu's smile soon faded, more into a shell-shocked expression.

_Hey, wait a minute! _She thought in bafflement _How does Utau know this?!_

After realizing within minutes, Amu's baffled expression was now a dark scowl.

"…that Yaya…" she said in aggravation. "She can never keep a secret"

_5 minutes later:_

Amu was zooming through the halls, trying not to collide into any students.

_Great, this is what I get for talking to Utau, now I'm late! _she thought to herself in annoyance, _Well, maybe If the teacher is late, then I'll be off the hook._

Amu busted through the classroom doors, hoping to be on time.

"Ah, Hinamori-san!" chirped the teacher in his usual merry tone, smiling happily at the exhausted girl, "I'm happy for you to join us!"

_Shoot, he's already here…_Amu voiced on her head, glaring back at the teacher, trying to catch her breath. _I ran all for nothing._

"Well, now that Hinamori-san is here, we can start today's session"

_After school:_

Amu sat in her desk, with a depressed look on her face.

_Why do I have to get detention now of all times? _She asked herself with a sigh. A sudden heard chuckle came from behind the moping girl. Amu yipped.

"You talk to yourself a lot don't you?" asked a long-haired boy in wonderment. Amu spun around. She was surprised to see the boy still in the classroom.

"N-Nagihiko?!" she stuttered, looking at him as if he appeared out of nowhere, "What are you still doing here, shouldn't you be on your way back to the dorm?"

"I'll be out in a little while," he replied, taking books out of the sturdy bookshelf, "I just need to take a few things" Nagihiko then paused and began to look back at Amu.

"…Hey, Amu-chan," he started, staring back at Amu intently.

"Hmm, what is it?" she asked, looking back the boy's questionable expression. Somehow it made her feel a bit uneasy.

"…Could you explain to me why you are in our dorm?" he asked.

"Oh! That" Amu stammered. She then looked up at the window, as if trying to find a way to explain properly. "I really wanted to come here to see my friends since I rarely see them anymore." She paused and took a deep breath. Amu then faced Nagihiko with a sheepish smile. "I wanted to stay in their dorm but I couldn't, so now I'm stuck with you guys." She turned her head and continued to stare at the window, looking at the golden-colored sky that shined brightly in her eyes. "Though, in a way, I don't think it's that bad. Who knows," She said as she looked back at Nagihiko with a little smile, "I might have a lot of fun"

Nagihiko looked back at Amu as if he was in a trance. a light blush started crawling along his cheeks; but he fought it back before the girl could get a chance to see. He returned Amu's smile with his own.

"Yeah, I hope to have a lot of fun with you Amu-chan"

"…Huh? I didn't expect you to be here Hinamori-san" stated a familiarly perky voice coming form the door. The being entered the classroom with a curious face. "Hinamori-san, why are you here?"

"I have detention, don't I?" she asked, looking back at her teacher with a baffled expression.

"Hmm? I never said you had detention" he responded.

"…Eh?!" she shrieked, looking back at teacher with bulging eyes "You mean that-"

"You were here all for nothing, I suppose so!" He responded in his casually perky tone.

Amu held her head down, hiding her head in her arms, feeling as if she made a complete fool of herself…what was worse, Nagihiko knew.

…_I could have left ages ago…_ she thought to herself, depressed _…what's wrong with me?_

"It…it's not that big of a deal Amu-chan," Nagihiko attempted to cheer up the disheartened child, "Things like that happen"

Nikaidou just looked at the teens blinking blankly

"…What did I say?"

Meanwhile _In the Girls Dormitory:_

…You did what?!" an orange-haired girl asked, looking back at the blond-haired girl with fearful eyes, hoping that what she had just heard was not true.

"Do I have to repeat myself," she asked Yaya firmly, "I told her about it"

"But now she knows that you know!" Yaya whined. She hid under a table and crouched down under it. She turned her head to trying not to face Utau, "Now she's gonna kill me"

"Don't demeanor yourself Yaya," Utau stated, looking back at the breaking down carrot-top, "Don't demeanor yourself"

"She's right Yaya" agreed another blonde teen, staring intensely at the television, "You should have told us about it in the first place"

"But Amu-chi told me to not tell a single soul!" she snapped back, nearly about to cry.

"Somehow I doubt that Yaya" Nadeshiko acknowledged. She bent down to try to attempt Yaya to come out of the table "But please, come out of there"

This just caused Yaya to whine even more. "But I don't want to…"

The girls' attention was directed to a knock on the door. It made Yaya jump and hit her head under the table.

"Who…who's there?" Yaya stammered, still recovering from the injury.

"It's me, Amu"

Yaya froze up like a statue. She had absolutely no idea what to do now; she was stuck in a tight situation. Yet somehow, in someway, Yaya had the courage to walk up to the door and open it herself. She slowly reached out her hand and twisted the knob gently. Right then, there was Amu, looking down at Yaya with a dark scowl. Just looking at Amu's expression almost made Yaya scream with sheer terror.

"…Yaya, we need to talk…" Amu said surprisingly calm, yet she still glared back at the scared teen intensely.

"Um…ok" she responded, trying her best not to make any eye contact whatsoever.

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"…I'm sorry Amu-chi!" cried the orange-haired girl, looking back at her friend with bulging, tearing eyes.

"Crying won't get you out of this Yaya," stated Rima, looking back at her friend in disdain, "you shouldn't try to kiss up."

Amu looked at Rima "…you know too?"

Rima just silently nodded. "Utau told me"

Amu sighed, "Well, at least you guys know instead of someone else; in a way, I'm happy you know."

"But still Amu-chan" started Nadeshiko, looking back at Amu with worried eyes, "You should've told us instead of letting us hear things by everyone else"

"I'm sorry Nadeshiko," Amu apologized, smiling sheepishly, "I couldn't find a right way to tell you, it just didn't seem right for you to get involved at all."

"…Are you stupid?" both Rima and Utau commented dryly.

"Huh?" Amu blinked, seeming surprised by their statement.

"Amu, we're you're friends, don't you trust us?" Rima asked Amu, looking back at her with worried eyes; as if she was about to start crying.

"N-no!" Amu stuttered, trying her best to explain herself to her concerned friends, "That's not it at all…"

"Then next time, at least try to let us in on something instead of chasing you all around the campus just to find out any secrets you're hiding," demanded Utau, crossing her arms in irritancy.

Amu just glared at Utau with disdain _I'll keep that in mind_, she thought in exasperation.

"Amu-chan," Nadeshiko touched Amu's shoulders, giving her a warm expression; "You can come to us about anything, alright?"

"…Alright." Amu agreed, returning the smile.

"Good! Now that that's over," Yaya stood in front of Amu in a dignified position, "I need to know a thing or two about your relationship wit those boys." All of the others agreed.

"H-huh?!" Amu looked back at her friends blankly.

"For instance," began Utau, pointing her finer at the confused child, "Why are you in the same class as Ikuto?"

"…Ikuto?" asked Amu, still hopelessly lost, "Do you mean that blue-haired boy?"

"Yes, him," Utau stated, glaring back Amu intensely "Stay away from him!"

"H-hold on Utau," interjected Nadeshiko attempting to persuade the now jealous teen, "I bet she's not even interested in Ikuto like you are"

"Yoo-hoo, I know why" the now merry girl chirped, smiling goofy, "She's in there because she's been accepted in the royal class!" The group of girls just started down at Yaya with confused expression. Yaya's bright smile soon turned into an expression of disbelief. Yaya took a deep breath, "I mean that since the girls are always harassing the boys and stuff, they were assigned to a class that no girl can ever get into; they call it the royal class….cause they are the princes of school." she paused, and looked at the pink-haired teen with a devious smile, "…No girl can enter the royal class unless they were accepted by the superintendent himself. Did you even know about this, Amu?"

Amu just looked back at Yaya with a traumatized expression. Not only was her uncle the reason she was in a boys' dorm, but he was also the reason why she is in the same class as them…Irony.

_Now all that is left is how to manage the repulsive rumors spreading around the campus._ She thought to her self in frustration.

"…Speaking of rumors…" Amu faced Yaya with a dark scowl, strong enough to make the orange-haired girl freeze up. "…Yaya, it was one thing to tell the girls, but for you to tell the whole school..."

"Please believe me Amu-chi, I didn't do it!" Yaya confessed, squeezing the waist of the angry pink-haired teen. She looked up at her with watery eyes, just seconds away from blubbering like a baby, "I only told the girls, no one else, I swear!"

Amu blinked back at Yaya on confusion. _All this time, Yaya was innocent. _She thought in disbelief.

"…Yaya, if you didn't do it, then who could it be?" Amu asked in curiosity

Yaya sniffled, trying to wipe some of her tears "…It was…her"

End of Chapter.

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Seiya: I bet your wondering who's her. I'm sorry I have to end the chapter like this, but it just seemed like the place to stop right now. A turn for the better I would say. And don't worry about your little Amuto moments, Ikuto will show up again soon; but what I can't promise you is that Ikuto will end up with Amu…I like to keep the readers guessing. Please inform me on anything that I can improve on for the chapters or opinions on the story so far. See you next time!


	5. Snarled Vines

**Chapter 5: Snarled Vines**

_Amu looked at her frightened friend with perplexity; she could not believe the words that came out of Yaya's mouth._

"..Yaya, are you sure that it was Yamabuki Saaya?" she stuttered. Yaya just silently nodded her head, and her expression become a little calmer as time passed by.

"I'm serious, she started it, just to get you in trouble" she answered while wiping her tears away.

"That was expected of that girl…" Rima commented without hesitation, "She and Amu never really got along well."

"W-well!" Amu stammered "What should I do?!"

"…Who knows?" they all answered casually.

"That doesn't help the situation at al!" Amu shrieked.

"Calm down, Amu-chi" replied Yaya, now suddenly back in her cheery, perky mood. "This rumor shouldn't last long" she then pointed three fingers in front of the troubled girl "I bet it would disappear in less than 3 weeks!"

"_She said it so confidently, but that's far too long, Yaya..."_ Amu thought uneasily.

"Yaya, you're not making Amu feel any better" noted Nadeshiko, looking at the bubbly girl with slight suspicion "You're not trying to make her feel worse, are you?"

Yaya stared back at Nadeshiko with a stubborn expression, and crossed her arms. "I am not!" she disagreed, "I just think Amu-chi is too worried"

"Yaya, you are not in the position to say that," Rima interjected, "since you were just under the table, worried that Amu would come after you…"

"Th-th-that's a whole different story!" Yaya stuttered, "I really thought that she was going to hurt me!"

As the trio continued to quarrel, the worried, strawberry-haired teen was now finding herself laughing quietly as she continued to watch them argue.

"…_It's funny; I don't feel so tense anymore"._ Amu thought to herself in wonder.

"…Do you feel better?" Utau asked the now more calmed Amu, "You seem more composed than a few minutes ago."

Amu nodded back at her. "Yeah, I do." She turned around and smiled softly at the blonde girl "At first, I really thought that coming here was not-so-great of an idea. But now…" she continued on as her expression became more cheerful, "Now, I'm really glad I came here. Thanks for worrying about me, Utau." Utau suddenly felt blushed creep across her face. She immediately turned herself around and crossed her arms obstinately.

"…Oh just be quiet!" Utau snapped at Amu. Utau turned around, and stared at Amu with a frustrated expression "I was not worried, I just can't stand to see you gloomy like that; it was too depressing."

"…_I was expecting her to say that"_ Amu thought to herself, while smiling nervously at the annoyed Utau.

Time passed on quickly. Each of them were now glad that Amu was now more content and could easily talk, laugh, and sometimes argue with her friends a bit more easily than before. Of course, that is because whenever it comes to Amu's friends, they would never let her stay upset for too long. By the time it was midnight, Amu was ready to head back to her dorm. The very thought of it burdened her with worry, but she tried her best to shake it off; she didn't want to become uneasy the minute she left her friends, especially since they tried to hard to cheer her up.

"…Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow" Amu said while waving goodbye to everyone in the dorm. But, before she could set a foot out the door, somebody grabbed her by the arm. Amu turned around, half expecting Yaya to be there pleading her not to go. Instead, it was Utau, staring at her stern eyes, making Amu feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"…M-make sure that" Utau tried to stammer out," that you talk to us about your problems, alright?"

"…Utau…"

"Yeah, yeah, she's right!" chirped Yaya, who was finally finished arguing with Nadeshiko and Rima, "You need to come straight to us whenever you're feeling down"

"You can trust us, Amu-chan" acknowledged Nadeshiko, smiling sweetly at Amu-chan "Whenever you're in a pinch, we're in it too."

""You're not alone, Amu" stated Rima, looking at Amu with a soft expression, "You shouldn't suffer by yourself"

Amu's eyes widened, surprised at her friends dependability. In a strange way, she felt as if she could really trust them with anything. Amu reacted to her friends' concern with a warm smile "Thank you for caring so much about me. I don't worry; I'll make sure to go you guys as soon as a problem comes up." Amu walked away from the girls' dorm, feeling a lot more relieved than she had ever been in the past few days. However, it was not too long until Amu's carefree expression was now more questioning.

* * *

_A couple of hours ago…_

Yaya looked at Amu with eyes pleading for Amu to believe her. "It was Yamabuki Saaya."

Amu looked at Yaya with some skepticism. "Y-Yamabuki Saaya? No way…"

"What makes you think it was Yamabuki, Yaya?" Nadeshiko questioned Yaya. She also looked at Yaya with slight disbelief. Seeing both Nadeshiko and Amu's expression, Yaya started to whine. "Geez, why doesn't anyone believe me? Just the other day I saw Yamabuki chatting with her group. She was going on and on about Amu-chan and her being too close to Tadase and the others. The more she talked about her, the more she became frustrated. Finally, she decided that she would dishearten her by spreading silly rumors. Of course, her group agreed with the plan, and, well, the rest is history…" Yaya heavily sighed "That took way too long to say."

"It seems as if Yaya was telling the truth," remarked Rima, "But, what I don't understand is that why haven't other girls found out about Amu's secret yet?"

Yaya began to complain once more, not wanting to give another long explanation, but she answered anyway. "That's because Amu's life could be in danger, so she stays away from the crowed so she won't be noticed." Yaya paused, took a deep breath, and continued on, "Besides, it's a huge school! It would take a long time for the rumor to consume the whole school. Unless you had a whole bunch of people spread the rumor themselves."

"…I see" Utau stated firmly "So this Yamabuki planned this a while back. So now whoever knows about the secret will now start exploring, and try to get as close as they can to the boys dorm. Not to mention that Amu has to deal with other male students who also could be curious about this rumor."

"You're right" agreed Rima, "If things get out of hand, Amu would have to deal with being chased down by the girls everyday until the day she graduates."

* * *

"_...I don't see why I have to be the target"_ though Amu thought to herself while sighing _"I haven't done anything wrong, have I?" _Amu continued to the dorm and paused in front of the door. She took a deep breath, and sighed heavily. _"Okay, I can't keep on worrying like this; everyone tried their best to cheer me up so I can't betray them now that I'm caught in the middle of this entangled mess." _Amu put her hand on the knob, and slowly turned it. The door quietly creaked open, allowing her to enter inside. It was 15 was minutes after the hour. The room was dark and it was dead silent. _"Everyone must be sleeping, so I should be quiet. But first, I need to relax on the couch" _The girl made her way to the sofa and plopped her bottom on the couch. But, for some reason, it was very lumpy…

"Huh? Why does it feel as if I'm sitting on somebody's…"

"…Lap?" replied a familiar voice. Amu jumped with fright. She got up in a flash and spun around; only to see the blue-haired boy sitting on the couch. He looked up at the girl with his vivid, dark blue eyes. A sneer slowly made its way across his face. He leisurely got up from the couch and looked at Amu with an intrigued expression. "…Yo" he said nonchalantly.

Amu froze. Her legs became rubber once more, and her mouth became dry. Surprisingly, she snapped out of her dazed quicker than before.

"I-It's you from before, the perverted boy from before!" Amu shouted. She took several steps back, and pushed her arms in front of her. "D-don't come any closer!"

Ikuto eyed the girl with suspicion "But, weren't you the one who was sitting on me?" he asked the panicking teen.

The vision of seeing herself sitting on the boy's lap made Amu's face turn red. Fortunately for her, the room was too dark for the boy to see.

"Th-that was an accident!" she snapped back at him. "I didn't mean to-"

"But, I never imagined for you to be so heavy" he remarked, not paying attention to Amu in any way.

"H-hey! Are you listening to me!" she asked him with an irritated tone.

"…Not really" he replied nonchalantly.

"_This guy…I'll beat him to a pulp!" _Amu thought to herself while clenching her fists. "A-anyway," Amu stuttered out, trying to change the topic, "why are you up so late?"

"Why are _you_ up so late?"

"Don't answer a question with a question; I asked you first"

"That's for me to know and you to find out"

Amu was now fuming inside, but tried her best not to make anymore noise than she had already made. "Whatever! I'm leaving" she stated as she was beginning to storm out of the room.

"…If you really must now" the boy implied "I came to get you."

Amu turned around, and looked at the boy with curiosity. "Eh? Ikuto, you came to get me?"

Ikuto quietly nodded and headed towards the door. He looked over his shoulders and stared at Amu with an inquiring expression. "Now, will you come with me?"

Amu really didn't know what to say; all she knew was that nothing good can come from it…

…_A hurricane is reaching the surface…_

**End of Chapter**


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